Here are some pictures
of my first real attempt at building a bug, based on schematics and tips
found on endtas.com/robot. The code
for the PIC microchip is completely written by me in the language JAL.

Jarod

Jarod's
Probug:

Here are some pictures
of my first real attempt at building a bug, based on schematics and tips
found on endtas.com/robot. The code
for the PIC microchip is completely written by me in the language JAL.
(Info about JAL can be found here.)
At the moment I only have a PCB layout of the board, done on ExpressPCB.
I didn't bother making a schematic at first, which really is a shame. I'll
make a schematic, and a new PCB layout, because there is an error in the
first PCB I made. It's nothing a little work with a knife won't fix, but
I'll make a new version.

I would like to thank
Özkal for all his help and input while I was struggling with this thing.
And also for his great work on the site: endtas.com/robot.

Images:

This
is the layout made from ExpressPCB. It's printed on a transparent sheet,
using an HP DeskJet 656c.

The board is roughly cut
to size but further sizing and shaping will be done using a beltsander
and other handy tools.

Some retouching with a black
marker-pen on the layout was needed to fill small gaps, but the inkjet
printer works really great. (As long as you have transparent sheets
made for inkjet printers.)

This
is the board after it's exposed to UV light, developed and etched. The
etching process I use take time because I don't have any equipment ment
for this purpose. I use chemicals poured into small plastic containers
and that's not really a good way to do it, but for small boards and small
quantities it works.

After the copper is etched
off, I used alcohol to rub off any remaining foto-resist, to make
soldering easier.

To drill holes I used a
normal drill and a 1mm bit.
That took time!

This
is the underside of my bug, after all soldering and use of th hot-glue
gun was done. I was actually very satisfied with the result on soldering.
I have no real experience, just read articles and stuff online. Nothing
was burnt, and the circuit actually worked on the first attempt.

The only "problem" was,
I had to switch polarities on one motor. Both motors turned the same
way, making the bug turn in circles. Quick fix.

One other thing also. The
right feeler reverses the right motor. (Small reprogramming scheduled
for this afternoon.)

Top-view
of my bug. The battery holder is placed in a problematic place, but it's
only glued in place so I'll find a new place for it. Maybe even make
a "rack" for it, placing the holder above the circuitry.

The wheels are glued to
the shaft's on the motors, which resulted in slipping and sliding.
Not very good hold there. (The motors are also very weak, so it's
barely able to roll the bug. Scavenging for better motors all the
time. Parts are very expensive and delivery time is long here in
Norway.)

Side
view of the bug. (Taken from an angle above.) The socket for the PIC-micro
is connected through to the board, using wire. The only reason for this
is: The 18pin DIP I used in ExpressPCB, was WAY to big for the actual
socket. (Özkal, I'll also go back to using Protel99 SE now. Allready
installed
it.)

The motors have 0.1uF ceramic
disc caps connected between power leads.

The antenna's are made of
0.7mm wire. Will have to make new feelers because these are weak
and doesn't work very well at all. Have some micro-switches that
I'll see if I can use.

Another
top-view of my bug. The standard AAcell in front, is there to give a
sence of size.

The motors are driven by
individual h-bridges. If you look close at picture, you can see the
8 transistors and 8 resistors making up the two h-bridges.

Also, about half-way down
the PIC-micro on the right side, you see the resistor and cap that
makes up the RC Oscillator.

This
side-view of the bug, really shows the fact that the PIC-micro
is elevated almost an inch above the board.

The wheels I used are taken
of a RC toy car. A Mercedes in fact. The rear of the bug is supported
by some steel-wire, to make sure the board doesn't catch on things
on the floor.

This has been a very fun
and educational project to build. I am allready working on new ideas.
Some based on things seen at endtas.com,
and some that I thought of myself.